Page 400 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

398  WESTERN INDIA

Neminath, the 22nd Environs
Jain tirthan kara, Achalgarh, 8 km (5 miles)
dates to 1231 and is beyond Dilwara, has the ruins
even more ornately of a 15th­century fort, and a Shiva
carved. Its most temple. The latter has a statue
glorious feature, of Nandi made with over 4,000 kg
the main hall, has (8,818 lbs) of gold, silver, brass and
a magnificent lotus­ copper. A five­minute walk from
shaped, tiered the temple is Guru Shikhar,
pendant carved from Rajasthan’s highest point at 1,721
a single block of m (5,646 ft). It is marked by a
marble, descending small but exquisite Vishnu temple.
from its domed
ceiling. Behind the
main shrine is the a Ranakpur
fascinating Hall of Rajsamand district. 90 km (56 miles)
Donors, with a series NW of Udaipur. @ Temple Complex:
of figures mounted Open daily. Closed to menstruating
Intricately carved Vimala Vasahi Temple on elephants, some women. Leather articles are not
in black marble. allowed inside.
p Mount Abu There are also life­size statues
of the donors and their wives, Set in a secluded, wooded
Sirohi district. 185 km (115 miles) with every detail of their dress valley of the Aravalli Hills, the
W of Udaipur. * 22,100. £ Abu Rd, and jewellery exquisitely
20 km (12 miles) SE of town centre, then 15th­century Ranakpur
bus. @ n opp main bus station, and painstakingly carved. temple complex,
(02974) 23 5151. _ Summer The focal point of dominated by the great
Festival (Jun). Mount Abu town is Adinath Temple, is one
Nakki Lake, ringed of the five great holy
Rajasthan’s only hill station, by colonial mansions places of the Jain faith.
Mount Abu has one of India’s dating to the late 19th The grand scale and
most spectacular sights – the century, and the summer sheer architectural
Dilwara Jain Temples. This group palaces of Rajput rulers. complexity of the white
of five marble temples is situated The curiously shaped Toad’s marble temple distinguish
on a hill 3 km (2 miles) northeast Rock overlooks the lake, and it as perhaps the single
of the town. The two most out­ Sunset Point, southwest most impressive example of
standing are the Vimala Vasahi of the lake, offers some Western Indian temple
Temple and the Luna Vasahi spectacular views from a Dancer, Luna architecture (see pp400–
Temple, which have incredibly stone terrace. Vasahi Temple 401). The temple has an
intricate and delicate carvings. About 4 km (2 miles) unusual four­sided plan,
The sculptural details on the below Mount Abu, just off the with four separate entrances.
doorways, archways, pillars and main highway leading to the Each entrance leads through a
ceilings of both these temples town, is the historic Gaumukh veritable forest of columns, and
are simply breathtaking, and the (“Cow’s Mouth”) Temple with a a number of beautifully
marble is worked so finely that in natural spring flowing from the ornamented halls and chapels, to
places it is almost translucent. mouth of a marble cow. the central sanctum contain ing a
The Vimala Vasahi Temple, four­faced image of Adinath.
dedicated to the first Jain  Dilwara Jain Temples Each of the temple’s 1,444
tirthankara, Adinath, was built in Open daily. Closed to menstruating pillars is carved with different
1031 by Vimala Shah, a wealthy women. Leather articles are not patterns of floral motifs, and the
prime minister of the Solanki allowed inside. play of light and shadow on
kings of Gujarat. A statue of
him seated on an elephant is
in a pavilion to the right of
the entrance. Inside, graceful
nymphs and musicians, spirited
horses and elephants adorn the
arches and pillars, and the superb
11­tiered domed ceiling in the
main hall. The inner sanctum has
a statue of Adinath in tranquil
meditation, while 52 carved
niches contain images of the
other tirthankaras. The Luna
Vasahi Temple, dedicated to Jain temple complex at Ranakpur
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p699 and pp712–13

398-399_EW_India.indd 398 26/04/17 11:46 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm